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Delivering e-Inclusion

The role of digital literacy

Contents:

1 Introduction 3

2 Who is excluded and why? 4

3 What is being done? 5

4 How do we deliver e-Inclusion? 6

1 Introduction

Social exclusion is a very real threat for the 40% of Europeans who have no digital literacy skills at all. With close to half of the European population at risk, e-Inclusion policies are urgently needed for our information society; and in particular for marginalised groups. But how do we really deliver e-Inclusion? Who are these excluded groups, why are they excluded, and what are we doing about it?

These are just some of the questions that arose during the recent workshop ‘Delivering e-Inclusion: the role of digital literacy’ held by the ECDL Foundation and AGE in Brussels on October 3rd 2007. As Europe faces major demographic and socio-economic changes, the lack of digital literacy of marginalized groups, in particular older people, represents a major challenge to becoming the most competitive knowledge-based economy in the world. Providing Europeans with the tools and skills they need to fully take part in our information society is a major factor in achieving e-Inclusion. This document provides a report on the opinions, presentations and outcomes of the workshop by drawing together the input of both participants and speakers. It is hoped that this will generate further interest and discussion around e-Inclusion and digital literacy.

The event was attended by a number of high-profile stakeholders: Damien O'Sullivan, CEO of the ECDL Foundation provided the welcome address, followed by Susan Binns, Director of Lisbon Strategy and Policies for the Information Society, who gave the keynote speech. Among other speakers, the workshop hosted Elizabeth Mestheneos, Vice President of AGE, Lambert van Nistelrooij, MEP and Co-chair of the Ageing Intergroup, Inmaculada Placencia Porrero, Deputy Head of Unit of Integration of People with disabilities at DG Employment and Anne-Sophie Parent, Director General from AGE. A full list of speakers can be found at http://www.ecdl.com/einclusion/

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have an increasingly important role in all aspects of economic and social activity. Yet despite their increasing importance, millions of people in Europe and across the world do not avail of the benefits that ICT offers. According to a Eurostat survey (2006)[1] over 40% of citizens in the EU-25 have never used a computer or the Internet, and in some countries, this figure climbs to over 65%. The lack of access and usage of ICT products and services leads to new forms of inequalities as particular social groups become increasingly excluded from substantially participating in the Information Society.

2 Who is excluded and why?

As Europe’s population ages, we become increasingly aware of the social and economic benefits that ICT can provide for older people as one of the social groups that are marginalised from the Information Society. Many older people however, do not yet realize what these benefits are, and more than 3 out of 4 people over 65 years of age have no computer skills at all[2].

Elizabeth Mestheneos from AGE, explained that older people generally have established ways of communicating and replacing these methods can be a difficult transition for them. They may be unaware of how ICT can affect their lives or are misinformed. For those who do see the benefits and endeavour to return from the wrong side of the digital divide, they find that the content of some trainings is not relevant for them and often computer programmes and design can be inappropriate.

While governments and public authorities want to introduce e-government and increase e-services, little targeted outreach has been carried out to ensure that older people are included. Active engagement and participation of older people is needed so that public structures can be adapted to suit all audiences. Manufacturers and service providers have a tendency to sell fashionable and employment-related products rather than really thinking about the needs of older people. As a result, little research has been carried out on the market for IT amongst older people; this results in incorrectly targeted advertising, limited design adaptations and inappropriate support for the elderly.

People with disabilities are another vulnerable group that comprise on between 10 to 20% of the population of every European country[3]. 16% of the European population of people with disabilities are of working age and of these, 44% say that they could participate in society if they received adequate training. Inmaculada Palencia Porrero from the DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities reports that sadly, only 16% feel that they are receiving the necessary training and support. The ability for people with disabilities to participate in employment and society represents a significant market opportunity for accessible products, in particular through public procurement. And while the technology is important, education is a right, thus equipping people with disabilities with the skills to participate in the workplace is paramount.

As an increasing number of public and commercial services go online, the realm of digital context expands and technology advances change the fundamentals of society and economy, vulnerable social groups are under the imminent threat of exclusion. Older people, people with disabilities and other marginalised groups will not reap the benefits of the Information Society unless there are provided with access to technology and the necessary skills to use the technology. Therefore, while the reasons for exclusion may vary, one critical step toward their integration into the information society is the provision of adequate digital literacy training.

3 What is being done?

Industry and NGOs are active in working towards an inclusive society in many different ways.

The ECDL Foundation, in conjunction with AGE Ireland and the Irish Computer Society has piloted an e-Citizen for Older People programme that aims to make older people more comfortable and competent in using the computers and the internet as well as to develop a sustainable business model that can be replicated throughout Europe. This programme has shown that many older people have a certain fear of ICT but that face-to-face targeted training customized to their needs helps overcome this barrier and enables older people to recognize the benefits that digital literacy can provide. Nikos Ioannou from ECDL Foundation invited stakeholders to participate in replicating this project throughout Europe. ECDL Germany is also developing a programme that enables people with disabilities, in particular blind people and people with visual impairments, the deaf and hearing handicapped and people with physical disabilities to acquire training and verify their level of digitally literacy through ECDL certification.

In the Italian context, 48% of the population, which corresponds to 26.6 million people, do not use the internet; broadband coverage is lacking in 55% of the country and only 17% of the population use ICT only for entertainment and communication, not for e-working, e-learning, e-commerce, e-banking or any other services provided by e-government. The Lazio e-Citizen programme presented by PierPaolo Maggi from AICA (the Italian Computer Society) aims to promote digital literacy and facilitate active citizenship. It provides a training environment that encourages inter-generational dialogue between older people and youth in a collaborative, hands-on approach thus is an ideal programme for ‘silver surfers’.

Digital media can provide opportunities to extend and increase opportunities for youth, and have positive impacts on learning, motivation and self-esteem. Apple Distinguished Educator, David Baugh provided information on how digital media can increase learning by accommodating different learning styles. For youth with additional learning needs, e.g. children with autism, digital media can provide an important channel to unlock potential and creativity. Digital media is accepted as providing access to learning for many groups including those who are disadvantaged yet until the recent introduction of the digitalcrea8or programme there was no structure or qualification available.

In an increasingly competitive, knowledge-based society, ICT has an important role to play in healthcare. Joe Hegarty from Intel noted that increasing issues with cost, care and access to care are presenting healthcare organisations with serious challenges. Increased use and training in ICT can equip healthcare workers with better information at point-of-care, more accurate test procedures and patient management systems. Access to cost efficient broadband will also go a long way to building truly digital cities that include safer streets, eLearning at home, wireless library services as well as support for older people.

Jan Willem Scheijgrond presented an economic development programme implemented by Hewlett Packard that shows how ICT can benefit unemployed youth, support micro-enterprise as well as contributing to local market development. Education is the basis for economic development, yet in many countries high youth unemployment and a lack of the IT skills necessary for entrepreneurship can stunt economic growth. Access to technology and digital literacy training coupled with business coaching can help create and sustain successful businesses.

Whether it is through providing affordable broadband, working with special needs youth, providing training to skill-up older people or supporting micro-enterprise initiatives; digital and media literacy programmes are acknowledged by all as having many benefits for society as well as a means of securing economic development.

4 How do we deliver e-Inclusion?

There is general consensus on the need to support actions to decrease the number of people on the wrong side of the digital divide, and to ensure that other vulnerable groups are not excluded from the information society. It is clear that several studies and reports have identified many such groups and as a society we must decide how we will go about addressing this issue. Current actions in this area are fragmented and lack an integrated solution to a problem that cannot be successfully tackled by any one entity alone.

The key to delivering e-Inclusion lies in an integrated and multi-stakeholder approach that works on multiple dimensions towards a common goal. Elena Bonfiglioli from Microsoft underlined the need for scalable and sustainable partnerships that span across sectors. This type of collaboration is essential between NGOs, industry and the public sector to effectively include vulnerable and marginalized groups in the information society and each of these actors have important roles to play.

Susan Binns, Director, and Miguel Gonzales Sancho, Deputy Head of Unit from the DG Information Society and Media reiterated the need for Member States to prioritise the goals of the Riga Declaration. Public authorities at local and regional levels must ensure that accessible ICT and appropriate training programmes are available to all social groups. They must be active in providing training to vulnerable segments of the population, adapting their structures to facilitate the inclusion of marginalised groups and supporting the development of technologies for independent living.

A framework is needed at national and regional levels to enable coalitions of industry, NGOs and public authorities to do more to prevent the exclusion of marginalised groups. Lambert van Nistelrooij, MEP and Co-chair of the Ageing Intergroup stressed the importance of regional action and encouraged the formation of coalitions that undertake practical steps supported by the cohesion funding that is available.

Damien O’Sullivan, CEO of the ECDL Foundation underlined how specifically earmarked funding could expedite e-Inclusion, and how the alignment of policy and funding instruments would facilitate a concerted approach through decentralised regional and local channels and best deliver e-Inclusion directly to the people who need it. Incentives could also be provided from a European-level to ensure that national structures facilitate multi-stakeholder involvement and the adoption of a qualification framework would resolve some of the existing fragmentation in programmes.

Service providers and manufacturers can conduct more accurate market research on the groups at risk of exclusion and ensure that their products are designed and marketed appropriately for these target groups. Mainstreaming accessible, easy-to-use and affordable technologies is an important step in achieving an inclusive information society. While the technology is important, equally, the provision of appropriate training programmes, adapted to the needs and interests of marginalized groups is essential.

A commitment is required at all levels. National and regional legislators, representatives of industry and civil society are called upon to cooperate in a bottom-up approach to raise skill levels and digital literacy for all and prevent the social exclusion of groups at risk such as older people and people with disabilities. An effective e-Inclusion policy requires a multi-dimensional and integrated approach as there is no single factor leading vulnerable groups to social exclusion.

People remain the central focus of e-Inclusion in all its facets; as Susan Binns mentioned, exclusion from the information society is synonymous with exclusion from society as a whole. Offering more public and commercial services online, extending broadband coverage in rural areas, introducing computers in education and in work are important steps towards achieving an inclusive Information Society. However, the ECDL Foundation and AGE strongly believe that it is equally important that people are equipped with the necessary skills and competences to use technology effectively as digital literacy enables social cohesion, empowerment of the individual and thus acceptance in society.

The ECDL Foundation and AGE welcome your thoughts and comments on this document and on the topics of e-Inclusion and digital literacy in general.

You can reach us at or by contacting:

Fiona Fanning

Policy and Communications Executive

The ECDL Foundation Ltd. ASBL
Avenue Roger Vandendriessche 18

B1150 Brussels

Tel: +32 2 772 8251

Fax: +32 2 646 3032

E-mail:
www.ecdl.com

Karen Vandeweghe

Information and Communication Officer

AGE - The European Older People's Platform

Rue Froissart 111
B - 1040 Brussels

Tel: +32 2 280 14 70

Fax: +32 2 280 15 22

E-mail: